Watch: $6.8 million supercars crushed by Philippine authorities

More than 60 cars were crushed to tackle smuggling, wrecking various Porsche 911s and even a Lamborghini – and it's going to happen again

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Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has taken drastic action to crack down on contraband goods, crushing what is estimated to have been $5.5 million worth of ‘illegal’ luxury cars and a further $500,000 worth of motorbikes.

Duterte ordered the public destruction of 68 cars and eight motorcycles on Monday July 30, employing a bulldozer to exercise a municipal warning to those ignoring import law.

The heart-wrenching spectacle took place at Port Irene in the Cagayan province, with Duterte’s government calling the action a necessity ‘to fight smuggling’.

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‘You have to show to the world that you have a viable place of investment and business,’ the Philippine president said in a press release.

‘And the only way to show it is that you are productive and that you have the economy to absorb the productivity of the population.’

This isn’t the first luxury car crushing event to take place this year. There was an inaugural demonstration back in February and a further one in March. Classic cars were reportedly in the mix, with Ford Mustangs and tuned Japanese coupés deliberately written-off before then being crushed. Porsche 911s were also destroyed, alongside the likes of Nissan's 350Z.

It’s not going to stop there, either. The compound of confiscated vehicles totals more than 855 cars. Their fate is sealed by the Philippine authorities, the most exotic lined up for the next batch to face Duterte’s bulldozer. When the next round will take place has not yet been announced – although we dread to think what may be wrecked.

The latest initiative was undertaken as Philippine police have vowed a ‘surgical and chilling’ campaign against illegal drugs and criminal activity, the last 24 months dispatching dozens of drug dealers and offenders.

'We reaffirm our commitment to build a country free from the shackles of corruption. This condemnation of these smuggled vehicles demonstrates our firm stand to put an end to a longstanding societal disease that has eroded public trust and tainted the government’s sincerity to deliver equitable social services,' the president said during the March event at Port Irene.